Combined rail tie plate, clamp, and sleeve



Dec. 16, 1947.

COMBINED RAIL TIE-PLATE, CLAMP, AND SLEEVE A. SCHROETTER 2, 32,816

Filed Feb. 8, 1946 a Sheets-Sheet 1 a? 3 ,i I I M I I l l '10 l I 7 J51 FTcQL -Q afnald Schroetiek q'jnvenboz' A. SCHROETTER I I 2,432,81 6

COMBINED RAIL TIE-PLATE, CLAMP, AND SLEEVE 3 Sheets-Sheet2 Dec. 16,1947.

Filed Feb. 8, 1946 drnold scbrodter Srwentor Dec. 16, 1941. A. SCHRQETTER 2. 32.816

COMBINED RAIL TIE-PLATE, CLAMP, AND SLEEVE Filed Feb. 8, 1946 s Sheeis-Sheet a 'F I c t-m5 Grrzold fichroeiier Saver/axon g i (lbborneg Patented Dec. 16, 1947 COMBINED RAIL TIE PLATE, CLAlVIP, AND SLEEVE' Arnold Schroetter, Newark, N. J. Application February 8, 1946, Serial No. 646,293 9 Claims. (01. 238-210) This invention deals with a safety device for rails. More specifically, it relates to a reinforcing unit which may be mounted on a railroad track at weak points in order to prevent accidents.

A survey of a number of railroad accidents has shown that a large proportion of them involve a severance of the rails at a joint. According to present practice, such jointsare made up by bolting a steel plate on each side of the narrow section of the rail. The rails are fastened to the ties by spikes fitting through holes in a plate on the tie underneath the rail. These spikes usually cause some splitting of the wood when they are driven in. Then the elements, together with the pounding and the play Of the Wheels on the rails, begin their erosion and corrosion which, coupled with accelerated decay of the wood around thespikes, soon weaken the hold on the rails and, since the weakest metal section is the joint carrying the plates and rusted bolts, the break at that point is inevitable. This type. of structure is particularly unsafe with the advent of heavier cars and engines and road speeds approaching 100 miles per hour.

An object of the present invention is to provide a sleeve for the rails, preferably at the joints, to counteract the bending stress caused by sudden impact upon the rails at those points. Another object is to provide clamps which may be adequately anchored to th e ties and which can be made to grip therail base tightly so asto resist any lifting action caused by sudden impact. Further objects will become apparent from the description.

l"he invention may be moreclearly understood from the drawingsin which Figure 1 is an end View of a portion of the rail bed ,takenperpendicularly to the axis of the rail. Figure 2 is a top or plan View of "the same assembly showing the railjoint and portions of, the clamp assembly.

flimilarnumbers refer to"s'iinil'ar. parts of the in- -;ver1 tion. In Figured is showna top view of one of ffthe projections "extendingjfrom the base of the present-inventionandsecured to one of the ties ofthetrackywhileFigure 4 depicts the underside of one of the clamps which is mounted over one of the projections shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 depicts an enlarged cross sectional view, perpendicular to the rail, of a section of the clamp and base shown to the right of the rail in Figure 1, while Figure 6 illustrates a side view of a locking screw which locks the clamp, and also showing the U-shaped locking wedge in place. An enlarged isometric view of the locking wedge is shown in Figure 7.

'erably on both sides of the rail. I

'- Referring to the drawings, numeral I represents a rail laid on ties 2. Under rail l is elongated one-piece base 4 extending for some dis tance under the rai-L'at least over two to four ties, the center portion being disposed under rail joint 39. This base has arms or projections 5 and 6 which are an integral part of the base. These-projections-extend over adjacent ties, pref- Section 4 of base 3 is of the same thickness as the conventional plate now employed under the rails; Projections 5 and 6 of the base act as bases for clamps 1 and 8. Base section 4 is provided withflanges or lips 9, having a thickness of-about inch to inch, which are lapped .over sides I ll of the base of rail l, the overlap beedges thereof. These clamps are attached to the projections 5 and (thy hinges l2 which act as fulcrums for lever sections [3 and I 4 and i5 and I6. Both l4 and I5 are somewhat thicker in cross section than l3 and [6. By raising lever sections l3 and it which is done by turning screws l1 and I3 upwards, these being about /2 inch in diameter, sections it and I5 are forced-against rail base sections I 0', thereby acting asclamps-for the rail. Under lever sections l3 and I6 are seats l9 and 2B for ball bearings 2| and ZZpressed into spherical seats on the tops of screws 1! and I8. When these screws are raised against seats l9 andzil (which are about inch wide) the ball bearings rotate and relieve any residual torque, thereby allowing screws l1 and 18 to stand ooh- I 'siderable vibration without loosening. U-shaped sharp-edged wedges of tempered-steel may be forced under the heads of said screws, locking them in place, and thereby making them practically immovable.

Base projections 5 and 6 which are integral parts of the base, all of which sections consist of one piece of steel, are bolted on to tie 2 by bolts 3, 2t, 25 and 26, these preferably being inch Allen bolts having a head of about inch width, although other bolts are suitable. Bolt heads 27 are snugly fit in counterbored portions 29 in base P lJiQHS 5 and 5. The bolt heads 21 are provided 3 with recesses 28. Nuts 30 fastened to bolts 23 and 24 are preferably set into recesses cut out in the bottom of tie 2.

Hinge [2, which is about to inch in diameter and preferably made of drill rod material, is driven through reamed hole 32 of housing portion 33 (which is about to 1 inch in outside diameter) of the hinge joint projecting from base portion 5,'until it touches the housing end 34 which'has hole 35for enabling the'lnsertion of a driving pin to drive out the pin of hinge I2 and to allow egress of air when said pin is driven in. In the open end 32 of housln'g"33is'insert'ed set screws 36 having ball bearing 31 set in its 'e'rid which seats on the end of hinge I2 at H. The head of set screw 36 may be in the formof"a hexagon, screw head, or other suitable form.

In using the invention, the sleeve is fitted over the end of the rail and slid on to the rail'until the portionto be strengthened is reached, as for exam le adan'ge'rou's curve wlii'ch would generally reqiiire a numberfof such 'iinits. Whena joint is to{ be'streiigthened', the sleeveis jfitt'ed over one endof' aS- track,"s'lid on tothat track and thenslid 'bach'toand over theendof the "other track making up the 'joi'nt. d v I One-rnodificationpf t'l'iisinvention is the iise of a safety devices'ucli as -that'already' disclosed, having three fiat" projections from"ejach' side of "the base ovrtliree ties; then' ic'ldle projections beingcnti-aIIy disposed over the rail 'joint to be reinforced. In' the reinforcingbf'rail joints by 'th'isrnear'is, itis -preferable"to leave "on the c fiventior'ial sidplates 'bolted'oneach side of the --i*a il--at the joint; since-theseserve" as additional strengtheningmembers, and also allow the application ofjthe'p're'sent inventionon rails now-in ex- "istence withont'the necessity of "removing parts thereof.

FInthe event" of a washout causedby floods, a *joi nt reinforced "according to the present invention presents-a solidarity'of construction enabling the whole assembly to remain as a bri'dg'ef an integral unitjalldwingatraintd pass *over; wh'ereh as the conventionaltrack construction wouldinvolv'e loosening of the spikes andsubsequnt derailmentof the train. Sirice the sleeventends over a substantial portion-of the"track "on each side of the rail joint, this fact together with the *pressure of the clamps upon the rail base, make up "anassembly of such strength -and solidarity as to resist the sinking of the'track inaninundated portion.

Miam 1 p '1. -A safety device fora track rail laid onties comprising an elongated metal base disposed under "said rail, flanges protruding from s'aidbase "on each side of therail and parallel'thereto, ex-

tending over substantiallythe who'le length ofthe least four ties.

4'."A"safety' device fora track rail according to claim 3 in which said projections are fastened to the ties by bolts extending through said ties.

5; A safety device for a track rail according to claim 4 in which the clamp comprises a lever having a fulcrum substantially in the center "th'reofone end of the lever pressing on the top surface of the base portion of said rail, two screws underneath the other end of the lever and threadedinto' the projection of the base under the rail, said screws capable of being forced up against the lever 50' as to cause the other end of said lever tWg'fipthe rail and hold it tightly against the base under the rail, and ball bearing seats mounte'dfin the heads of said screws at the points of contact with said rail.

'6. A safety device for a track rail according to "claim "5 in which U-shaped, sharp edged wedges'a're forced under the heads of said screws to'lo'ck them in place.- I

7. A'safetydevice for a track laid on ties and having a rail joint, comprising an elongated metal base -disposed longitudinally and centrally under said ra'il joint, flanges protruding from said base on each side of the rail and parallel thereto, ex-

tending 'over'substantially the whole length of the base,'sai'd flanges being turned in toward the base 'o'f'the rail to allow said rail to rest snugly therein four ties, bolting means for fastening said prorail. t

"8.- A safety'device for a track rail according to claim 7 in which the bolting means for fastening the projections to the ties comprises bolts which are countersunk in said projections.

9. A safety ldevicefor a track rail according "to claim 8 in which the clamps on the sides of the'track are oppositely disposed in relation to each other.

ARNOLD SCI-IROETTER.

nmrnnnrvons CITED "Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patenti UNITED STATES PATENTS 

